SRHR now, together, for everyone: Reflections on Nairobi Summit #ICPD25
November 15, 2019, Nairobi - On November 10, 2019 I departed Jamaica for Nairobi, Kenya as part of the three person Jamaican delegation attending the 25th International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD25), also called the Nairobi Summit. Having consistently addressed sexual and reproductive health and rights in my work across projects and continuously supported local initiatives on the same issue, I was super excited to connect with people working on the issue at the regional and international level.
The sessions I attended, from using data in advocacy and young parliamentarians to ethics and advocacy and civic engagement, demonstrated the reality of the scale of SRHR issues globally, gave voice to lived experiences and brought current data, innovative solutions and best practice from people operating at every level, to the fore. It was also great to witness and document Jamaica’s Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Alando Terrelonge making commitments regarding youth on the behalf of the Jamaican Government and later to speak with him about youth engagement in Jamaica.
The most memorable and impactful moment for me was perhaps the symbolic empty chair on stage during one of the youth sessions. The chair was left empty to visually and viscerally represent the people who are denied a seat at the table, who do not have effective voice. Some were denied visas, some are facing extreme odds at home, some are persecuted for the work they do. For me, the empty chair represented thousands of Jamaican women and girls who do not have adequate protection from sexual harassment and rape, who fall prey to our reluctance as a country to act decisively to protect them from gender-based violence, and to provide them with the information they need to make healthy sexual choices through comprehensive sexuality education and are denied bodily autonomy under Jamaican law regarding safe abortions. Obviously there are other issues to consider, but in that moment, sitting in that room, faced with the empty chair, they were foremost in my thoughts, as they have been in my work.
But the summit was made up of moments like that. Over and over again, words from speakers or lines of argument in informal conversations with other delegates drove home the importance of the work being done. I had unforgettable conversations with fellow Jamaican delegate Terisa Thompson-Taylor and other Caribbean delegates including Nikolai Edwards of Trinidad. It was also great to reconnect with the other two of the United Nations Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals present at the conference, Dr. Marlene Joannie Bewa and Mohammed Barry and learn about the latest developments in their work.
In a session on menstrual health, a speaker, Chris Bobel spoke so affirmatively about bodies of different shapes and sizes, with different needs that I felt compelled to tweet about it.
I also had the wonderful opportunity to speak on a panel under the theme “Youth as an Engine of Change”, in a session led by the Kenyan Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender, sharing the stage with other leaders and stakeholders in youth engagement (read my abridged remarks below). After the session ended I was approached by a young woman who I was pleased to learn, recognized me from Talk Up Yout videos she’d watched on YouTube and had been using in her work in her own country, reminding me of the impact media can have on people across borders.
It would be remiss of me to end this report without speaking about Kenya. I’m always excited to go to any African country and I’m very proud that in the Africa shaped space in my heart, Kenya now sits next to Nigeria. I didn’t see as much of the country as I would have liked, mostly wide open grassland from my hotel window on the edge of the Nairobi National Park with beautiful grazing gazelle juxtaposed against Nairobi’s towering skyscrapers. I was also lucky enough to pick up a few crafts and a beautiful dress from the Maasai market, which came to the Kenyatta International Convention Centre for the duration of the conference.
The Kenyan people I met were warm, friendly and every single one had a knack for making me laugh, making me feel welcome and at home, which judging by the constant sounds of reggae and dancehall, and the numerous stickers of Vybz Kartel on buses, I very well could have been. Through conversation with young advocates I learned more about the issues young Kenyans face and as I’ve learned everywhere I’ve travelled, we’re not so different. I am excited to work with some of them through Talk Up Radio, a space which has always recognized the importance of Jamaica and especially young Jamaicans making global connections, strengthening international bonds and supporting peace, justice and practices that strengthen human rights, such as protecting sexual and reproductive health and rights, amongst states internationally.
In light of this I was excited to see Jamaica’s Prime Minister The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Kamina Johnson-Smith and a delegation including senior diplomats visit Kenya in December for the ACP Summit of Heads of State, so I’m confident that our countries are dedicated to having a strong relationship. Kenyan President His Excellency Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta had visited Jamaica only months before, and a Kenyan High Commissioner to Jamaica was appointed shortly before that.
So as advocates, leaders, scientists, artists, stakeholders of every kind, as we leave Kenya, enriched with all we experienced there, to continue doing the work of being positive forces pushing for a more equitable, safe and sustainable world for people, I hope we took lessons from ICPD25 that will stay with us, guide us and motivate us to do more. The scale of the problem is clear and progress has been made but not nearly enough, so it’s up to us to join in, support those who have been doing the work in whatever way we can and to create spaces for others to join the cause. At Talk Up Radio, since 2014, we’ve taken the information and voice angle and supplied young Jamaicans with Sexual and Reproductive Health Tips, we’ve partnered with organizations such as the National Family Planning Board to have frank SRHR conversations and we’ve passed the mic to young people from all backgrounds to speak about their lived experiences. We’ve also raised issues to the highest level locally, through our Collaborative Conversation on Health with Minister of Health and Wellness, Honourable Christopher Tufton. And, our parent company, Talk Up Yout has an even longer record of action in on SRHR issues. But we’re not done. This is an open call for partnerships. Feel free to reach out to me to share your SRHR story, initiatives, and ideas via Talk Up Radio. Let’s keep the issue fresh in the minds of people and spur change in the ways we can.
Asante Kenya.
Abridged Remarks
“So the issue all people who advocate on the behalf of young people face is how do we reach young people? How do we ensure that every young person feels empowered to take some action whether it’s accessing reproductive health services or any other issue your advocacy surrounds? Talk Up Radio is youth led but we also face this problem of improving engagement. The model for youth engagement that we’ve developed at Talk Up Radio pulls on the combined inter-generational experience of the Gen X founders and Gen Z leaders like myself, and incorporates both external and internal research conducted with young people across Jamaica, the USA and the UK and with consultations with young people from more than 10 other countries across the world.
So here’s a brief part of our model:
Step ONE is to consciously invest in young people, declaring up front what your intentions are for engaging them and what you expect from them. Conscious investment in young people helps to build trust in you as an ally and by declaring your intentions and expectations, you give young people a foundation to guide them in taking action. This also goes a far way in reducing some of the civic apathy as it goes to the heart of one of the most common complaints from young people which is that we are not treated as equals. Sometimes we are included as second-class participants in processes, we are given ceremonial titles but not provided with real opportunities, our knowledge and experiences are viewed as inferior as a source of insight compared to experts. The idea here is not to replace older generations with youth, but in the same way we recognize the wisdom of indigenous peoples in the climate change fight and elevate this wisdom to its rightful place alongside science, we must recognize the insight of youth.
STEP TWO is you have to meet young people where they are. We talk a lot about the ingrained beliefs of older generations but young people have our own biases we need to overcome that are just as deep rooted and require just as much nuance and respect about changing. At Talk Up Radio we do this by using the content of the programmes to challenge youth points of view in a safe, inclusive environment, encouraging them to think about the issues they are affected by and those affecting other young people from their peers in their own communities to young people from countries they've never heard of.
STEP THREE is to inspire. This is the fun part where young people are encouraged to recognize their personal stake in the issues and to get involved in their own way. This could be creating a blog or even an international social movement and yes, it could be a tweet or simply a young person choosing to have a conversation with their siblings or their children. Inspiration inherently recognizes that powerful change flows from real, organic and personal connection with issues and one’s agency in changing them.
In our experience, when advocacy is designed with youth, it strategic about engaging them, meet them where they are and supports them in getting involved, engagement is improved. Young people who are apathetic move into at least a concern for the issues and those who were already informed and engaged, begin to take more critical positions. This plus their renewed belief in their own voice and civic agency often leads them to start or support advocacy efforts and build their own solutions. Our Talk Up Radio and Talk Up Yout advocates overwhelmingly join youth organizations and representative bodies such as the Youth Parliament of Jamaica and the Youth Advisory Council of Jamaica. A large percentage of them also create their own organizations around the causes that matter to them.”